NOTE-BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 193 



Raturall vertue against serpents : whom being reputed to be 

 descended from ladie Circes son,* the people in this regard do 

 highly esteem, and are verily persuaded that they have in them the 

 same facultie by kinde. And what great wonder is this, con- 

 sidering that all men carry about them that which is poyson to 

 serpents : for if it be true that is reported, they will no better 

 abide the touching with man's spittle, than scalding water cast 

 upon them : but if it happen to light within their chawes, or 

 mouth, especially if it come from a man that is fasting, it is 

 present death. f 



Ovid, in his poetical treatise on cosmetics,J thus opens 

 his lesson to his fair pupils: — 



Discite, qua) faciem commendet cura, puellae : 

 Et quo sit vobis forma tuenda modo. 



Not only does he give them every information that 

 can add to the attractions of their toilet — he does more, 

 he tells them what to avoid. He warns them agcainst 

 witchcraft and incantation: — 



Nee medise Marsis finduntur cantibus angues : 

 Nee redit in fontes unda supina suos. 



Now let us see what Dr. Mead says to these super- 

 natural gifts : — 



There were formerly in Africa a nation of people called Psylli, 

 famous for the cure of the bite of serpents, with which that country 

 above all others abounds (Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. vii. c. 2). These 

 people were thought to have something in their constitution so 

 contrary to poison, that no venomous creature would touch them : 

 and it was pretended that they made this a trial of the legitimacy 

 of their children. The truth of the matter is, they performed the 

 cure in a manner very surprising to the vulgar, that is, by applying 

 their mouth to the wound and sucking out the venom. The 

 Marsi in Italy pretended to the same jiower. Some ceremonies 

 to overawe the patient and gain reverence to the operator, were 

 added to the performance : but Celsus, the Latin Hippocrates, has 

 wisely observed, that ' These people had no particular skill in this 

 management, but boldness confirmed by use ; for the poison of 

 the serpent, as likewise some hunting-poisons which the Gauls 



* Marsus. t Holland's Pliny. J Medicamina faciei. 



K 



